WANLI SIX-CHARACTER MARK AND OF THE PERIOD

Details

A RARE LARGE LATE MING BLUE AND WHITE BOWL
wanli six-character mark and of the period
Well painted around the body with four large fish amidst smaller fish and various water-plants, the centre with a pair of confronted cranes in flight amidst cloud-scrolls within a band of ruyi-heads at the well below a similarly decorated band at the rim, two rim cracks restored
12½in. (32cm.) diam.

Lot Essay

'Fish and waterweed' designs were first used during the Yuan Dynasty as early as 1350 on blue and white dishes, see M.Medley, Yuan Porcelain and Stoneware, pp.37-45; and on guan, Medley, The Chinese Potter, pl.135. For an example of the latter, see the guan sold in these Rooms, 8 June 1987, lot 160, illustrated on the front cover of the catalogue.

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